UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Penn State is responding to concerns from State College residents about a proposed natural gas pipeline route through the borough by requesting that utility company Columbia Gas re-evaluate alternative routes that could take the pipeline across the University Park campus.

The new pipeline will increase the natural gas supply to Penn State’s West Campus Steam Plant and is essential to the University’s plan to convert the plant from burning coal to burning natural gas. This conversion is part of the University’s overall strategy to have cleaner air and reduced truck traffic in the community and reduced greenhouse gas emissions from its own facilities. It will also enable Penn State to continue heating campus while meeting recently enacted federal Clean Air Act regulations by the mandated January 2016 compliance date.

At an April 1 meeting, the State College Borough Council adopted Resolution 1085 to oppose permitting Columbia Gas to install a gas distribution line through residential neighborhoods. Officials from Penn State's Office of Physical Plant, who attended the meeting and listened to concerns from residents, have since asked Columbia to re-evaluate alternatives that would route the pipeline completely through Penn State property between Porter Road and the West Campus Steam Plant.

This re-examination of campus routes is highly complex, and Columbia has indicated that it will take several weeks to complete. The University will continue to cooperate with the borough as it works through this process.